AI photos, called, 'honey' and 'darling': Woman loses $350,000 to fake Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae romance | Online scam

Fans can go to any lengths to meet their favorite star, and one such incident has come to light where a woman was scammed out of 500 million KRW (Rs 3 crore) by a person impersonating Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae.

Lee, known worldwide for his role in the Netflix drama series, is one of South Korea's most acclaimed actors with a massive fan following. One of the most shocking incidents occurred when his name was used to perpetrate a massive fraud.

Woman loses $350,000 to online scam

In a recent case, a woman in her 50s fell prey to an online scam where the impersonator used AI-generated photos of Lee and a fake driver's license to build credibility. The scammer pretended to be the actor, claiming he wanted to communicate with fans, and even shared AI-generated selfies showing him at the airport in order to earn woman's trust.

The victim, believing she was in a romantic relationship with the actor, sent multiple payments in a period of six months after the scammer promised she would soon meet him. The scammer used terms like "honey" and "darling" to strengthen the illusion.

The person, pretending to be Lee Jung-jae, introduced an unknown man as a business executive. The scammer then promised her a meeting with the korean actor for 6 million KRW.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency is investigating the case, and what has been claimed that the impersonator and his group were a part of a Cambodian crime network 'I truly believe he was the real Lee Jung-jae. Looking back, I feel so foolish," she said in an interview.

Squid Game actor's agency responds

Lee’s agency, The Artist Company, has responded to incident, stating that neither the company nor any of the artist that the agency handlers ask for money.

In an official social media account, the agency said, “a crime involving impersonation of our artist to solicit money and gain financial profit has been reported in the media.”

“We clearly state that neither the company nor any of our artists will ever ask for money, wire transfers or sponsorships under any circumstances,” the statement continued. “If you receive any such requests, please do not respond and take extra caution to avoid falling victim to fraud.”